Clyde Neumann

Clyde Neumann is a woodturner living in the KwaZulu Natal Midlands.  He is a retired engineer who never considered himself artistic but he always enjoyed hobbies involving working with wood and on a lathe, in particular.  In his youth he owned a very rudimentary, treadle powered, lathe which he used to turn small items.  In 1990 Clyde visited “The Woodturner” John Early in the Dargle Valley and his interest in woodturning was rekindled.

Since then it has been a journey of discovery, experimentation and learning which has meant Clyde’s hobby is continually evolving.  He has attended seven national symposiums where he learnt from both international and local turners as well as attending master classes with internationally acclaimed professional turners, Stuart Mortimer and Nick Agar.  Clyde retired in 2007 and since then his hobby has grown into a passion to produce beautiful wooden vessels and to encourage others to do the same.

Clyde does not have one signatures style and, while he still enjoys working with some of the truly beautiful wood that is so readily available in KwaZulu Natal, he also combines plainer wood with other media to create bowls that are enhanced by texturing, carving, piercing, burning, marbling, colour application, adding pewter and a combination of the above.  Clyde also derives much pleasure from passing on his woodturning knowledge to others and encouraging them to develop an artistic style rather than just functional items.